State of Origin 2024: South Sydney and Manly fume over suspensions, 11 charges from wild Origin decider

Two NRL clubs have joined forces in calling for an overhaul in rules around representative bans in the wake of the State of Origin melee which saw nine players charged and two suspended.

South Sydney and Manly have joined forces to savage the NRL for their handling of the State of Origin fight night, questioning inaction earlier in the series and renewing calls for an overhaul of the rules around representative bans.

NSW stars Haumole Olakau’atu and Cameron Murray were among a slew of players who were charged after a wild melee in the opening half of the Blues’ win at Suncorp Stadium, leaving the pair facing bans from club football.

Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly and his Manly counterpart Tony Mestrov were seething over the prospect of losing two of their key players for the run to the finals over an incident that took place in the Origin arena.

Olakau’atu will miss two games after taking an early guilty plea, while Murray is also facing a two game ban after nine players were charged – including a record $26,100 worth of fines – on Thursday morning.

“I don’t want to comment on the actual charge,(match review) process or any potential tribunal hearing,” Solly said.

“We’re getting advice on that and we’ll talk with Cameron later about his options. But we have been pleading with Andrew and Graham for years for a system that allows for any suspensions from representative football to be served for representative matches, just as international football (soccer) does.

Cameron Murray is sent to the sin bin despite being on the bench at the time. Picture: NRL Photos

“Our current system is immature and does not reflect the challenges created by the ARLC’s ridiculous Origin schedule.

“Andrew (Abdo) and Graham (Annesley) keep telling us that it’s ‘all too difficult’, but we can successfully go to Las Vegas if we’re committed enough.

“The simple point is that they don’t care enough about the members and fans of the NRL clubs.”

Mestrov called for a game-wide summit to try to find a better solution – the Sea Eagles are still smarting after losing Tom Trbojevic for the season after he picked up an injury during the Origin campaign last year.

Olakau’atu was remarkably sanctioned despite playing no part in the match – he was part of the extended squad and raced off the bench in his pants and suit jacket to be involved in the melee.

Haumole Olakau’atu rushing to get involved in the melee on Wednesday night. Picture: Channel 9

“Firstly I don’t condone it,” Mestrov said.

“Why was the 20th player up there? NSW don’t get penalised. We get penalised. He could get two weeks and NSW don’t get penalised at all

“What should happen, logic tells you, he should be suspended from the first Origin game next year and the same with Cam Murray.

“This happened last year with Tom. It needs to change. We might need to have a summit as a game to sort these issues because clearly it isn’t working.”

Because of the Sea Eagles bye Olakau’atu won’t play until round 23 against the Raiders.”

The absence of both players is significant for their clubs. Manly are in the thick of top eight contention while Souths remain outside chances to qualify for the finals. Their respective causes won’t be helped by losing two of their best players.

All the more galling for Solly is the lack of action that was taken in the previous two games, in particular the opening game of the series when NSW assistant coach Nate Myles berated Roosters and NSW star Joseph-Akuoso Suaalii after he was sent off for a high shot on Reece Walsh.

Myles was given a warning by the NRL but remained on the sideline for the following two games. That incident along with the physical nature of Origin II prompted many to suggest that the final game of the series was a powder-keg.

Those predictions proved correct as the decider exploded with a wild melee that spilled over the sidelines and led to the sin-binning of Murray and Queensland back rower Jeremiah Nanai.

“We’re also confused about the lack of sanction for some of the other behaviour we have seen during this series – particularly around the bench, sideline and tunnel areas,” Solly said.

“It feels like there was a loss of control of that area from the time Joseph was sent off, and last night was the end result of the failure to sanction those involved from the start”.

Queensland players Felise Kaufusi, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Jeremiah Nanai were also charged, but escaped with fines.

NSW’s Brian To’o, Matt Burton and Payne Haas were also charged but will be hit with fines.

Murray, who was sin-binned – said he was just trying to protect his vulnerable teammates.

“It has kind of been pretty standard that the first person in gets sin-binned regardless of whether he throws a punch or not,” Murray said.

“I guess I was just trying to stick up for my teammates. They were a bit outnumbered there. I felt like I couldn’t stand there and watch.

“I wasn’t trying to do anything. I was trying to look after my brothers out there. That was it. It is not something that is overly typical of me but I have done it before – I have run in to try to look after the boys.

“I am not trying to start anything. I am trying to look after my teammates out there. That is it. It is what it is.”

Asked whether he was worried about being sent off, Murray said: “Half a second there maybe I was a bit worried. I knew when I was walking out I was probably going to the bin. So I was just praying it was 10 minutes.”

Originally published as State of Origin 2024: South Sydney and Manly fume over suspensions, 11 charges from wild Origin decider